Clayton: Thoughts on the Seahawks’ situations with Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman and more

Two of the biggest Seahawks stories continue to drag.

Marshawn Lynch is waiting to complete a contract negotiation with the Raiders so he can come out of retirement. Meanwhile, Richard Sherman remains available on the trade market, but odds of a trade happening aren’t so good.

So while everyone waits, here are some thoughts on those situations and others with the Seahawks:

• I still don’t envision Sherman being traded. The Seahawks can’t afford to give him up for anything less than a first- and maybe a third-round pick. He’s too valuable to the team. Trading him would mean the Seahawks would have to totally rebuild their cornerback position in one year. It’s too much to do. New Orleans is the main team to follow with the Sherman situation. The Saints can acquire cornerback Malcolm Butler, a restricted free agent, from New England for less trade value than Sherman. But the problem is getting Butler to find a respectable salary number. The RFA period ends Friday. The Saints have a better chance to get Butler than Sherman.

• All Lynch needs to do to come out of retirement is find an acceptable contract number. The Seahawks and Raiders made it easy. So the Raiders don’t have to load up too much cash to satisfy Lynch, they can waive the $2.5 million in signing-bonus money that they could ask him to pay back. In return, the Seahawks could get a nominal draft choice, probably a seventh. It’s up to Lynch now.

• No surprise that right tackle Gary Gilliam didn’t sign with San Francisco. He’s a restricted free agent who wouldn’t cost the 49ers any draft-pick compensation if they signed him. They made him an offer, but it was probably for backup money.

• The Seahawks brought in Cal quarterback Davis Webb for a visit recently. What that tells me is that Trevone Boykin’s challenger for the backup job might come from the draft. The market for veteran free-agent quarterbacks has dried up. The Seahawks aren’t signing Jay Cutler or Colin Kaepernick. Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t a fit.

• Dion Jordan can make a quick impression starting next week when the Seahawks’ offseason program begins. He’s been working with Lynch’s trainer, Tareq Azim. If he can start getting back into the great shape he was in during his first two seasons with the Dolphins, he could be a candidate to make the team at defensive end or strong-side linebacker. Jordan signed his contract on Friday.

• Don’t be surprised if the Seahawks draft a receiver. Even though the team feels good about its top four receivers, it wouldn’t mind adding one. Sure, defense is going to be the theme of this draft, but the Seahawks still will look at a receiver if it’s a fit.

Stay tuned on Marshawn. It should get done. We just don’t know when.

Want more John Clayton? Listen on-demand to his weekday and Saturday shows as well as his “Cold Hard Facts” and “Clayton’s Morning Drive” segments on 710 ESPN Seattle. Also, check out his all-new “Schooled” podcast and look for his columns twice a week on 710Sports.com.

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